Earlier today in Charleston West Virginia, a jury heard four hours of closing statements from federal prosecutors and defense attorneys in the Don Blankenship criminal trial.

Don Blankenship is the former CEO of Massey Energy, the company that owned and managed the Upper Big Branch mine in Raleigh County, where 29 miners were killed in April 2010 as the result of safety violations.

And he faces up to 30 years in prison if he's convicted in this case.

It's a remarkable case because it's almost unprecedented for a CEO of a major corporation, especially a fossil fuel corporation, to face criminal charges when workers die on the job.

But, there's a catch!

The judge hearing the case, U.S. District Judge Irene Berger, made sure before the closing arguments began to explain that Blankenship isn't being charged for causing the explosion.

And that means that he's not actually being charged for the deaths of those 29 miners.

So, what DID Blankenship do that warrants a federal investigation and criminal trial?

Why is the former CEO of one of the largest coal companies in the country facing 30 years in prison?

Not because he might be responsible for the deaths of 29 miners, not because he apparently micromanaged the cover-up of nearly 600 safety violations at the Upper Big Branch mine.

But because he crossed the wrong people. Because he allegedly misled wealthy investors.

Stop and think about that, 29 people died under Blankenship's watch and management.

And he's facing charges for misleading regulators and wealthy investors.

Read more here.

-Thom

Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10pm... (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)

  

Tuesday's Daily Stack 

Article: "Boom times for US corporate bond sales" by Eric Platt.

Law: "Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act", 2010.

Speech: "Farewell Address", by Dwight David Eisenhower, January 17, 1961 (transcript).

Article: "'The Attacks Will Be Spectacular'" by Chris Whipple.

Article: "Ex-CIA director: White House ignored months of warnings about 9/11 to avoid leaving 'paper trail' of culpability" by Tom Boggioni.

Article: "Transcript: Bin Laden determined to strike in US" by CNN.

Article: "7 Scientifically Proven Benefits Of Gratitude That Will Motivate You To Give Thanks Year-Round" by Amy Morin.

Article: "The business man in government : a thumbnail sketch of what happened to the United States when the exploitive spirit of finance was permitted to direct the government" by Thomas Albert Latta.

Quote: "They have been promised on American soil comfort, prosperity, and the opportunity for self-improvement; and the lesson of the existing crisis is that such a Promise can never be redeemed by an indiscriminate individual scramble for wealth." - Herbert Croly, November, 1909.

Article: "We created Islamic extremism: Those blaming Islam for ISIS would have supported Osama bin Laden in the '80s " by Ben Norton.

Article: "Top 10 Campaign Ads: Willie Horton" by Time.

Article: "Woman killed in front of father in San Francisco by gunman who should have been deported: 'Dad, help me, help me'" by Melissa Chan, Rachelle Blidner.

Article: "Elizabeth Warren Wants to Give Seniors a Raise" by Patrick Caldwell.

Hour Two: Why Are Conservatives So Afraid of Syrian Refugees?
- John Malcolm, Heritage Foundation  

Article: "In Wake of Paris Terrorist Attacks, Here's a Map of the States Shutting Their Doors to Syrian Refugees" by Kelsey Harkness.

Article: "A Complete Guide To How The GOP Candidates Reacted To Syrian Refugees After The Paris Attacks" by Emily Atkin.

Article: "Predictable and Deplorable: Over Half of US Governors Vow to Slam Door on Refugees" by Lauren McCauley.

Article: "No, State Governors Can't Refuse To Accept Syrian Refugees" by Ian Millhiser.

Article: "Obama: When I Said We "Contained" ISIS, I Meant "They Control Less Territory Than They Did Last Year"" by .

Article: "Fact Checkers Confirm That What President Obama Said About ISIL Being Contained Is True " by Sarah Jones.

 

Article: "Backstabbing Republicans Publish Open Letter To Iran Undermining Negotiations" by Karoli.

Article: "Congressional calendar: House in session 111 days next year" by Alan Fram.

Movie: "Charlie Wilson's War".

Article: "Why John Kerry and the French president are calling ISIS "Daesh"" by Matthew Yglesias and Zack Beauchamp.

Article: "If You Hear President Obama and John Kerry Call ISIS "Daesh," Here's Why" by Jon Levine.

Article: "Flashback: American Bigots Didn't Want To Accept Jewish Refugees Fleeing The Holocaust" by John Prager.

Article: "Hillary Clinton endorsed by Service Employees International Union" by Kyle Roerink.

 

Talk Radio News Segment:
- Bob Ney 

Article: "Ryan: U.S. Should Halt Refugee Acceptance Until Vetting Improves" by Anthony Herrera.

Article: "Paul Ryan: Obama's Syrian Refugee Program Halted, Forms Task Force" by Taylor Tyler.

Article: "Jeb Bush & Ted Cruz Only Want to Save Christians" by Olivia Nuzzi.

Article: "Kasich Urges Caution On Resettlement" by Brittany Gervais.

Site: "Goats for the old Goat".

Site: Governor Free Don Siegelman.

Book: "Sideswiped: Lessons Learned Courtesy of the Hit Men of Capitol Hill" by Robert Ney.

Article: "TRNS News Notes- 11/17" by Victoria Jones.

Article: "TRNS News Notes- 11/16" by Victoria Jones.

Article: "'Flying spaghetti monster' caught on video off the Angolan coast" by Tosin Thompson.

Article: "Having A Baby In The U.S. Is Twice As Dangerous As In Canada" by Tom Miles.

Article: "It's a $cam! The American Way of War in the 21st Century" by Tom Engelhardt.

Article: "Charlie Sheen reveals he's HIV positive in TODAY Show exclusive" by Eun Kyung Kim.

Article: "Reporter: Stadium bombers likely missed target" by The Rachel Maddow Show.

Article: "Don't Blame Edward Snowden for Paris Attacks" by James Bamford.

Article: "All Paris Attackers Identified So Far Are European Nationals, According To Top EU Official" by Justin Salhani.

Article: "Third man sought as hunt for Paris attackers goes Europe-wide" by FT.

Article: "Joe Holden - Revolutionary Mini Hydro Power".

Article: "Al Qaeda and the Internet: The Danger of "Cyberplanning"" by Timothy L. Thomas, 2003.

Article: "Pope: Politics should be lived as a high form of charity".

Bible: "1 Corinthians 13".

 

Article: "Climate Crisis Poised to Push 100 Million into Extreme Poverty" by Deirdre Fulton.

Article: "Overheated Planet Entering 'Uncharted Territory at Frightening Speed'" by Lauren McCauley.

Article: "Simple steps can offer health benefits" by Laura Beil.

Article: "California Takes A Stand On Antibiotics In Livestock" by Alex Zielinski.

Article: "First Ever Energy Grid to Harvest Wave Power is a Leap for Renewable Energy" by Catherine Griffin.

Article: "The Country's Fourth-Largest Craft Brewery Is Trying Its Hand At Climate Activism" by Natasha Geiling.

    

Wednesday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET 

 

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